Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CONTAINER APPARATUS AND METHOD OF USING SAME
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to a beverage sleeve apparatus for use on
a container, such as a
beverage can or bottle. One embodiment of the invention comprises a container
apparatus having a
releasably attached magnetic member whereby the apparatus can be magnetically
attached to a support
structure, such as a metal post or table.
Background
[0002] Insulating beverage container sleeves, known as "coozies", "koozies"
and/or "can huggies" are
often used to hold beverage containers, such as beverage cans and bottles. The
sleeves, made from an
insulating material, help to maintain the beverage at the desired temperature
for a longer period of time
while also providing a comfortable means for the user to hold the beverage.
The sleeve enables the user
to hold the beverage without having to directly touch the beverage container
itself, which may be very cold
or hot.
Summary
[0003] One object of the present invention is to provide a container apparatus
for use on with a beverage
container having means for releasably attaching the apparatus to a metal
surface. Another object of the
invention is to provide a beverage container apparatus that can also be used
as a flashlight. These and
other objects of the invention can be obtained in various embodiments of the
invention described herein.
[0004] One embodiment of the invention comprises an apparatus adapted to hold
a beverage container.
[0005] Another embodiment of the invention comprises a container apparatus
that can hold a beverage
container and can also be used as a flashlight.
[0006] Another embodiment of the invention comprises a container apparatus
having a magnetic member
and a light emitting device releasably attached to the container body.
[0007] Another embodiment of the invention comprises a container apparatus for
use with a beverage
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container comprising means for releasable attachment to a cord, strap, rope or
like member.
[0008] A container apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention
comprises a container body
adapted for receiving a beverage container, the container body having a top
end defining an opening in the
container body for receiving the beverage container and a base end opposite
the top end. A magnetic
member having magnetic properties can be positioned proximate the base end of
the container body
whereby the apparatus can be magnetically attached to a structure comprised of
a magnetic material.
[0009] According to an embodiment of the invention, the magnetic member can be
comprised of ceramic
ferrite or samarium cobalt.
[0010] According to an embodiment of the invention, one or more flanges can be
positioned on the outer
surface of the container body. Each flange has an opening to receive and
engage a complementary
fastener.
[0011] According to an embodiment of the invention, the container apparatus
includes a light assembly
comprising a housing and at least one light emitting device contained within
the housing. The light assembly
housing can be releasably attached to the container body proximate the base
end of the container. The
housing can include a base panel, and the magnetic member can be attached to
the outer surface of the
base panel.
[0012] According to an embodiment of the invention, a recess is formed in the
base panel and a fastening
member is positioned within the recess. The fastening member is pivotably
attached to the base panel,
whereby the fastening member can be pivoted in and out of the recess.
[0013] According to an embodiment of the invention, the light emitting device
can be a flexible printed
circuit board, a light emitting diode, and/or an illuminated fiber optic
cable.
[0014] According to an embodiment of the invention, the container body is
comprised of transparent or
translucent material.
[0015] According to an embodiment of the invention, the container body can be
comprised of methyl
methacrylate, thermoplastic polyurethane, and/or polymethylmethacrylate.
[0016] According to an embodiment of the invention, the container body is
sized and shaped to receive
the light assembly housing at the base end of the container body and
frictionally engages the light assembly
housing to releasably retain the light assembly housing within the container
body.
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[0017] According to an embodiment of the invention, the container body and the
light assembly housing
are substantially cylindrical.
[0018] According to an embodiment of the invention, the light assembly
comprises a plurality of outer lights
positioned proximate an outer edge of the light assembly housing whereby the
outer lights illuminate the
container body when activated.
[0019] According to an embodiment of the invention, the light assembly
includes a center light positioned
proximate a center of the light assembly housing and adapted to emit a beam of
light whereby the apparatus
can be used as a handheld flashlight when the center light is activated.
[0020] According to an embodiment of the invention, the container apparatus
includes an on/off button
positioned on an outer surface of the light assembly housing for turning the
at least one light emitting device
on and off. An opening can be formed in the container body for receiving the
on/off button therethrough.
[0021] Another embodiment of the invention comprises a container apparatus
comprising a container body
adapted for receiving a beverage container comprising a sidewall comprising an
upper sidewall section and
a lower section. The upper sidewall section has a diameter larger than the
lower sidewall section. The
upper sidewall section has a top edge defining a top opening in the container
body for receiving the
beverage container and the lower sidewall section has a bottom edge defining a
bottom opening in the
container body. The container apparatus further comprises a light assembly
comprising a housing and at
least one light emitting device contained within the housing. The light
assembly housing is sized and
shaped to be received through the bottom opening of the container body, such
that the outer surface of the
light assembly housing frictionally engages the interior surface of the lower
sidewall section and the light
assembly housing is releasably retained within the container body.
[0022] According to an embodiment of the invention, a magnetic member having
magnetic properties is
positioned on the outer surface of the base of the light assembly housing. As
such, the apparatus can be
magnetically attached to a structure comprised of a magnetic material.
[0023] According to an embodiment of the invention, the light assembly
includes a power source contained
within the light assembly housing and operatively connected to the light
emitting device(s) to power the light
emitting device(s).
[0024] According to an embodiment of the invention, one or more flanges can be
positioned on the outer
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surface of the upper sidewall section. Each flange has an opening to receive
and engage a complementary
fastener.
[0025] According to an embodiment of the invention, a recess is formed in the
outer surface of the base
of the light assembly housing and a fastening member is positioned within the
recess. The fastening
member is pivotably attached to the base, such that the fastening member can
be pivoted in and out of the
recess.
[0026] According to an embodiment of the invention, the upper sidewall section
and the lower sidewall
section of the container body are transparent or translucent.
[0027] According to an embodiment of the invention, the upper sidewall
section, the lower sidewall section,
and the light assembly housing are cylindrical. A plurality of outer lights
can be positioned proximate the
outer edge of the light assembly housing such that the outer lights illuminate
the transparent/translucent
container body when activated. A center light can be positioned proximate the
center of the light assembly
housing, and is adapted to emit a beam of light such that the apparatus can be
used as a handheld flashlight
when the center light is activated.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0028] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a container apparatus according to an
embodiment of the
invention;
[0029] Figure 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus of Fig. 1;
[0030] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the light assembly of the apparatus
of Fig. 1;
[0031] Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the light assembly of Fig.
3;
[0032] Figure 5 is a top view of the light assembly of Fig. 3;
[0033] Figure 6 is another light assembly of Fig. 3;
[0034] Figure 7 is another perspective view of the apparatus of Fig. 1;
[0035] Figure 8 is another perspective view of the apparatus of Fig. 1;
[0036] Figure 9 is another perspective view of the apparatus of Fig. 1;
[0037] Figure 10 is a partial perspective view of the light assembly of Fig.
3;
[0038] Figure 11 is another partial perspective view of the light assembly of
Fig. 3;
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[0039] Figure 12 is a partial perspective view of the apparatus of Fig. 1;
[0040] Figure 13 is an environmental perspective view of the apparatus of Fig.
1;
[0041] Figure 14 is another environmental perspective view of the apparatus of
Fig. 1; and
[0042] Figure 15 is another environmental perspective view of the apparatus of
Fig. 1.
Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments
[0043] A beverage container apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of
the invention is illustrated
in Figures 1-13 and shown generally at reference numeral 10. The container
apparatus 10 comprises a
substantially cylindrical body 11, and a light assembly 30 positioned at the
base of the cylindrical body 11.
[0044] The cylindrical body 11 can comprise an upper cylindrical sidewall 12,
and a lower cylindrical
sidewall 14. As shown in Figures 1, 7 and 8, the diameter of the lower
sidewall 14 is less than the diameter
of the upper sidewall 12. When positioned upright, as shown in Figure 1, the
upper sidewall 12 extends
upwardly from the lower sidewall 14. The upper sidewall 12 defines a circular
opening at the top, which is
sized to receive a conventional beverage bottle or can therethrough.
[0045] Preferably, the container body 11 is comprised of a resilient material
that is transparent or
translucent, such as methyl methacrylate (MMA), thermoplastic polyurethane
(TPU) or
polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA).
[0046] A pair of flange sections 21, 22 can extend outwardly from the outer
surface of the upper sidewall
12, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. Each flange section 21, 22 has an opening
therethrough to receive a
connecting member therethrough. As shown in Figure 2, the connecting member
can be a strap 40 with
fasteners such as hook clasps 41, 42 attached at opposite ends of the strap
40. Alternatively, the fasteners
can be bolt snaps. The clasps 41, 42 are positioned through the openings
formed in the flange sections
21, 22, respectively, as shown in Figure 2.
[0047] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the light assembly 30 comprises a
cylindrical body 31 releasably
attached to a circular base panel 32. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, a plurality
of outer lights 34 can be
positioned proximate the outer edge of the upper surface of the light assembly
30. Preferably, the outer
lights 34 are multi-colored light emitting diodes (LED). A center light 33 can
be positioned proximate the
center of the upper surface of the light assembly 30, a shown in Figures 5 and
6. The light assembly 30
Date Recue/Date Received 2020-12-18
contains a power source operatively connected to the center light 33 and outer
lights 34 to power the lights
33, 34. The power source can be one or more batteries, such as three AA sized
batteries 35, as shown in
Figure 4. As shown in Figure 3, threads 36 can be formed on a portion of the
outer surface of the body 31
that engage in complementary fashion with threads formed on an inner surface
of the base panel 32, such
that the base panel 32 can be screwed on and off of the light assembly body
31. The base panel 32 can
be screwed off the body 31 to expose the interior of the body 31 to replace
batteries as needed, as shown
in Figure 4.
[0048] A top panel 16 can be attached to the light assembly 30 opposite the
base panel 32, as shown in
Figure 7. The top panel 16 is comprised of a transparent or translucent
material. When the light assembly
is positioned within the container body 11, the top panel 16 is positioned
between the upper sidewall 12
and the lower sidewall 14 and can serve as a floor wall that can support a
bottle, can or other beverage
container positioned within the apparatus 10. When positioned upright, the
upper sidewall 12 extends
upwardly from the panel 16 and the lower sidewall 14 extends downwardly from
the panel. In an alternative
embodiment, the panel 16 can be integrally formed as part of the container
body 11, rather than attached
to the light assembly 30.
[0049] As shown in Figures 1, 7 and 8, the light assembly 30 is positioned
within the lower side wall 14
and against the floor wall 16 of the container body 11, with the lights 33, 34
adjacent the floor wall 16. The
light assembly 30 can be sized and shaped such that it is held within the
container body 11 by frictional
engagement between the light assembly body 31 and the inner surface of the
lower sidewall 14.
[0050] When the outer lights 34 are activated, shown in Figure 6, the outer
lights 34 transmit light
throughout the transparent/translucent body 11, lighting up the container body
11, as shown in Figure 9.
When the center light 33 is activated, a beam of white light emanates from the
apparatus 10, and the
apparatus 10 can be used as a hand-held flashlight.
[0051] The light assembly 30 includes means for turning the lights 32, 33 on
and off. The light assembly
can include an on/off button 28 on the outer surface of the light assembly
body 31, as shown in Figures 1,
7 and 8. An opening 18 can be formed in the lower sidewall 14 of the container
body 11, and the on/off
button 28 can be positioned through the opening 18, as shown in Figures 7 and
8. The light assembly 30
can be programmed such that pressing the on/off button 28 sequentially
activates and/or deactivates the
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various functions of the lights 33, 34. For example, pressing the button 28
once can activate the outer lights
34. Pressing the button 28 a second time can deactivate the outer lights 34
and activate the center light
33. Pressing the button 28 a third time can outer lights 34, so both the outer
lights 34 and the center light
34 are on. Pressing the button 28 a fourth time can deactivate both the outer
lights 34 and the center light
33.
[0052] The apparatus 10 can include means for hanging the apparatus on a rope,
cable, cord, string or
other like connecting member. A recess 37 can be formed in the bottom surface
of the base panel 32, and
a fastening member such as a hanger clip 38 is positioned within the recess
37, as shown in Figures 10
and 11. The hanger clip 38 can be comprised of a hook member 38a that can be
releasably attached to a
loop member 38b, as shown in Figures 10-12. The hook member 38a and loop
member 38b are each
pivotably attached to the base panel 32. The hook member 38a and loop member
38b can be pivoted
outwardly from the base panel 32, as shown in Figures 10 and 12. The strap 40
can be detached from the
flange sections 21, 22, and positioned under the hanger clip 38 so the
apparatus 10 hangs from the cord
40, as shown in Figure 13.
[0053] The base panel 32 can include a magnetic member 39 positioned at the
center of the outer surface
of the base panel 32, as shown in Figures 1 and 11. The magnetic member 39 is
comprised of a material
having magnetic properties. The magnetic member 39 can be comprised of ceramic
ferrite, samarium
cobalt or other suitable magnetic material. As such, the container 10 can be
magnetically attached to a
support structure made of a material that is attracted to magnets. For
example, the apparatus 10 can be
magnetically attached to the surface of a metal case 60, as shown in Figure
14. In another example, the
apparatus 10 can be magnetically attached to the body of an automobile 70, as
shown in Figure 15.
[0054] A container apparatus and method of using same are described above.
Various changes can be
made to the invention without departing from its scope. The above description
of the preferred
embodiments and best mode of the invention are provided for the purpose of
illustration only and not
limitation¨ the invention being defined by the claims.
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